Inside the house, the atmosphere was heavy and tense, but outside, the air felt even more suffocating.

Han Jue stood quietly near the entrance, his tall figure firm and steady like a pillar. He did not step inside. This was not his place.

Instead, his gaze fell on the two males standing outside, especially the younger one who was pacing back and forth like a trapped beast.

The young man’s name was Guo Ren. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot, and his steps were uneven, as if he could collapse at any moment. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists, his breathing rough and unstable.

Han Jue watched him for a moment before speaking in a calm, low voice.

"You don’t have to worry so much. My female is very capable."

Guo Ren stopped mid step and turned to look at him. His eyes were filled with panic and doubt.

Han Jue continued, his tone steady and firm.

"She is a witch doctor. She has helped many females give birth safely. In our tribe, most of the cubs were delivered with her help. You can trust her."

He paused for a moment, then added,

"And she is pregnant herself. She would never harm another female or her cub. So calm down."

His words were simple, but they carried a certain weight.

Guo Ren stared at him, his lips trembling slightly. For a second, it looked like he wanted to believe him, but the fear in his heart was too strong.

"It’s not that I don’t trust her..." he said hoarsely.

His voice cracked midway, and his eyes turned red.

"I just... I just feel like... what if it’s too late?"

His body shook slightly as his emotions finally broke through.

"What if she can’t save her? What if my mate dies?"

His voice rose uncontrollably, filled with despair.

"What will I do then?!"

He suddenly covered his face with his hands as tears streamed down.

"How will I face her parents...? How will I explain it to them...?"

His shoulders trembled violently as he sobbed.

"They trusted me... they gave her to me... they told me to take care of her... to protect her..."

His voice became choked and broken.

"But what did I do? I couldn’t do anything! I just stood there and watched her suffer... I’m useless... I’m completely useless..."

Han Jue fell silent.

He was not someone who was good with words. Seeing a grown man break down like this left him momentarily at a loss.

Beside them, the older man, Guo Liang, sighed deeply. His expression was also tense, but he was trying his best to stay composed.

He stepped forward and placed a hand on Guo Ren’s shoulder.

"Ren’er... calm down."

But Guo Ren shook his head violently.

"I can’t calm down! Brother, she has been in pain for so long... she hasn’t eaten... she hasn’t slept... and now even her voice is getting weaker..."

His voice dropped into a whisper, filled with fear.

"What if... what if she doesn’t make it...?"

Han Jue’s brows furrowed slightly. He understood this fear.

In this world, giving birth was never easy for females. Many had lost their lives in the process. It was not strange for a male to be this terrified.

After a moment of silence, Han Jue spoke again, his tone still calm but slightly firmer.

"She won’t die."

Guo Ren froze.

Han Jue looked at him directly.

"My female is inside. As long as she is there, your mate will have a chance."

There was no exaggeration in his words. It was simple confidence.

Guo Ren stared at him blankly, as if trying to grasp onto those words.

Han Jue then added, "If you collapse now, what will you do if she needs you later?"

That question hit hard.

Guo Ren’s breathing slowed slightly. His hands dropped weakly to his sides as he stood there, still trembling but no longer completely out of control.

Guo Liang nodded in agreement.

"He’s right. You have to stay strong. Our mate will need you when she comes out."

Guo Ren swallowed hard and nodded, though his eyes were still wet.

"...I understand."

But even as he said that, his gaze kept drifting toward the door, filled with worry and fear.

Time seemed to pass painfully slowly.

Every second felt like an eternity.

Inside, faint sounds could occasionally be heard, making Guo Ren’s heart tighten again and again.

Han Jue remained standing quietly, his expression calm, but his ears were slightly alert. Even he could not fully relax.

Su Qinglan had already stepped forward to help the female inside the room.

The situation was urgent. The baby was in the wrong position, legs first instead of head first. It was a breech birth. Not only that, the baby was unusually huge, and there seemed to be only one.

The little one had refused to come down no matter what. The female had already lost all her strength. Her face was pale, her body covered in sweat, and she shivered nonstop from the pain.

Su Qinglan quickly glanced at the tribe’s healer and the other beast husbands standing around.

She knew she would need to use her own energy to help, and she could not do that comfortably with so many eyes watching. After thinking for a moment, she decided.

"Everyone, please go outside," Su Qinglan said clearly. "Only the father of the child can stay."

The beast husbands looked at each other. No one started fighting.

There were three inside the room and two outside. Their expressions froze for a second. Then a burly man with a robust physique stepped forward. His face looked cold and fierce, but his eyes were full of worry.

"I am the father," he said in a low voice.

The others did not argue. They turned and walked out one by one. The healer’s expression changed. He looked at Su Qinglan with dissatisfaction.

"Little girl, do not play around with this," the healer warned. "This is already beyond saving. You will only ruin everything and make it worse."

Su Qinglan replied, "You have already done everything you could. Now let me try."